Confessions
by secretPersonalities
Summary: Ino's noticed that Sakura's been acting strange since she returned from the Land of Iron. Time for some confrontation. She is NOT leaving without answers. Friendship. Sasusaku?
1. Sakura to Ino

_**Hello again. This story started with an event that I was waiting to happen, but it never did… Oh, well.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto**_

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><p>"Enough, Pig," Sakura growled. She didn't know how much more she could take.<p>

"Come on, Forehead! There's something you're not telling me! The moment you got back from Iron, you've been acting weird…er." Ino stared at her pink friend. Something was up, and she was NOT letting her off the hook so easily!

Sakura remained silent. She closed her eyes and turned away. Ino sighed. "Sakura, please…"

_Wow. Ino called me by name. She must be serious. _Sakura looked over to see Ino, eyes filled with distress. _She must be worried…_

"Ino… I get it. Really. But… I just don't want to talk about it right now."

There was a glint in Ino's eyes. "If you won't tell me, I can always ask Naruto."

Sakura smirked. "Like he would tell you anything."

"What if I bought him some ramen?" Ino grinned mischievously. Everyone knew that baka would do anything for ramen: even rat on Sakura.

Sakura sighed in defeat. Honestly, she didn't want Naruto to tell the story. "Fine. Here's what happened…"

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><p>"WHAT?!" Sakura groaned. She was sure the whole village heard that one. Heck, anyone within a five-mile radius probably thought someone was dying.<p>

Ino was looming over Sakura as she sat on the oh-so familiar bench, but it seemed appropriate. This conversation was about him…

Ino sputtered, at loss for words. "So… he… you… how… no! He wouldn't… I … how could…" Tears were starting to form. She just couldn't believe it. Sasuke Uchiha, the man of both their fancies from so long ago… had tried to KILL Sakura… _twice _in one meeting!

"Ino. Please, calm down."

"CALM DOWN! How can YOU of all people be so calm in the first place! If it weren't for Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi-sensei, you'd be…"

"Dead?" Sakura cut her off. "I know that Ino. But, death is part of being a ninja."

"So wait, that's NOT why you're acting weird?" Now she was curious. If death didn't throw her into this depression, what did?

Sakura lowered her head. "… You're going to hate me for this…"

Ino was shocked. "Forehead! I could NEVER hate you. At least not for real!"

"Ino!" Her voice was firm. Ino knew it was time to shut up and listen. "Ok. Tell me."

Sakura took a deep breath. "You remember that I went after Naruto when we heard about Sasuke becoming a criminal, right? Wait. Why am I even asking? You were more heartbroken then anyone…"

Ino frowned. _You and I both know that's not true, Sakura._

"Naruto wouldn't listen to me. Even when I "confessed" to him…"

"You WHAT?"

"Never mind. He saw right through me. I got angry and took off. I had Kiba track Sasuke for me, and when we got close… I kind of knocked them out and went on my own. I had made a decision." Her hands fisted in her lap. "I… was going to kill Sasuke myself."

Ino's eyes widened. She couldn't even speak. She wanted to scream at Sakura, giving a lecture a traitor deserved. Yet, at the same time, she could almost understand. She waited for further explanation.

"I've… never been so scared. I panicked. At the time, I couldn't think of another option. Sasuke was falling fast, and I just couldn't bear to see what he's becoming. I still can't…"

Ino could see Sakura struggling to hold back her tears. This was new.

"So, I'm not upset that Sasuke almost took my life. I deserve it. I'm… upset with myself, for sinking so low."

_**So? What do you think? There's more to come!**_


	2. Ino to Sasuke

_**Hey! I'm back! :D**_

_**So, now that Ino's gotten some answers, how will she respond? And a certain someone wants some answers as well… dun, dun, DUN!**_

_**Again, I do NOT own Naruto.**_

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><p>"<em>So, I'm not upset that Sasuke almost took my life. I deserve it. I'm… upset with myself, for sinking so low."<em>

That scene continued to plague Ino's mind, knowing there was nothing she could do… except give Sasuke the death glare whenever she saw him.

Sasuke had returned after all, and for some odd reason, he wasn't executed. Well, Ino wasn't quite ready to forgive him. Little did she know, a certain man had noticed her peculiar behavior. He also noticed that a certain medic couldn't look him in the eye. He wanted answers.

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><p>Ino had been shopping in the market. Next thing she knew, she was grabbed and transported to the training grounds, alone with him. When she saw his face, fear turned to anger again. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.<p>

"Yamanaka, tell me what's going on."

Ino turned away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Suddenly, Sasuke grabbed her arm and turned her toward him. "What's going on? Why are you acting different?"

Ino gaped. He seriously didn't get it? That murderous traitor didn't know what he had done? That was it! "Bastard! Don't you dare play innocent with me!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Now he was confused.

"Ugh!" Ino threw her arms in the air out of pure frustration. Were all men complete morons? She gave him a cold stare. "She told me what happened in the Land of Iron…"

What happened next confused Ino to no end. She could swear she saw the Uchiha reveal emotion! Was that… regret? _No, forget that. Uchiha being sorry? HA!_

She kept going. He had asked for it, so now she was going to let him have it! "You honestly believe you can just waltz back here as if nothing happened? You tried to kill your own comrade… who, I might add, would do anything for you! When everyone else gave up on you, she and that baka never stopped believing in you… And how do you repay her? By sending a chidori at her face and almost slitting her throat!"

Not quite finished, Ino turned to the side, folded her arms, and continued. "You know, I just can't believe it. Even after all that, Sakura came home depressed; not because of what you did, but because she was _ashamed_ of herself! Well, guess what? Sakura may forgive you, but I…" She looked out of the corner of her eye. The Uchiha was gone.

_**Hmmmm…. Uchiha kidnapping Ino? Anyone see that coming? Yeah? Darn :/**_

_**Another thing, INO YELLING AT SASUKE! OH YEAH! (I love the guy, but sometimes he deserves it.)**_

_**Review, plz! Or the next one will probably suck…**_


	3. Sasuke to Sasuke

_**Hi again. It's been a while. Maybe.**_

_**I haven't gotten any reviews on the last chapter, so I just had to go with what I have. Sorry if you think it sucks, but I like it.**_

_**So, Ino's preaching got cut short due to Sasuke's disappearance. Let's see what his reaction is to this new development.**_

_**I do NOT own Naruto**_

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><p>"<em>You honestly believe you can just waltz back here as if nothing happened? You tried to kill your own comrade… who, I might add, would do anything for you! When everyone else gave up on you, she and that baka never stopped believing in you… And how do you repay her? By sending a chidori at her face and almost slitting her throat!"<em>

_Not quite finished, Ino turned to the side, folded her arms, and continued. "You know, I just can't believe it. Even after all that, Sakura came home depressed; not because of what you did, but because she was ashamed of herself! Well, guess what? Sakura may forgive you, but I…" She looked out of the corner of her eye. The Uchiha was gone._

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><p>Sasuke had wanted to retort. Usually, he wouldn't sit there and let some annoying woman talk down to him. But, this time he couldn't. She was right. <em>So that's it…<em> Sakura was avoiding him because of that. Well, he couldn't blame her. That meeting plagued his memory so often. Even the dobe seemed to notice.

_Geez, Teme, if it bothers you that much, just talk to her!_

_It's not that easy, Dobe._

_Sure it is. We both know Sakura-chan, and she doesn't like to hold grudges. Yeah, when she gets mad, it's scary like hell, but it passes eventually._

_Dammit, Naruto! This isn't like when you say something stupid! I tried to kill her! That's not something that "passes"!_

… … _She's not like you, Sasuke. She doesn't believe in revenge._

Sasuke regretted everything that happened between them on that bridge. He still didn't know why the hell he did that… it was like his body was being controlled by something else. Before, he'd protect her with his life, so how could he turn on her so easily? Sasuke covered his face with his hand. What kind of monster had he become? He can still remember the terror he saw in those emerald eyes…

But this new information made matters worse. He knew he could never take back what he had done in the past. Yet, his near-victim didn't blame him at all; instead, she placed the fault on herself. Now she was an emotional wreck because of him. _Why is she such an idiot? She's almost as dense as the dobe!_

Inwardly, he sighed as he uncovered his face. _I don't deserve her forgiveness. But she doesn't deserve the guilt. _He didn't plan on getting on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness. He didn't want to be forgiven, but at least he could set her straight and end her pain: the pain that he caused.

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><p><em><strong>Yeah, I know it's short. But I didn't want to give too much away, you know?<strong>_

_**Anyhoo, reviews are greatly appreciated! Please! Please! PLEASE!**_

_**Next time, the Final Confrontation!**_


	4. Final Confrontation

_**Hi there! Time for that awkward yet dramatic confrontation! Sasuke has his mind made up, but then again, so does Sakura…**_

Sakura sighed, taking in her surroundings. She was in her special place: a place deep within the village training grounds where she could get away from everything. It certainly wasn't easy being a medical kunoichi, especially being the Hokage's apprentice. She used to hide on a rare occasion, but lately, she's come much more often. She just couldn't face… him…

_I guess Sasuke's been back for a while, now. Naruto seems to get along fine with him. I'm happy for him_. It's all she could do. She knew nothing could bridge the rift between her and her former teammate. What she did can't be undone, and if Sasuke never wanted to see her again, she'd be fine with that. "It's what I deserve…"

"What is?"

Sakura gasped, realizing someone was actually there. _Dammit! Not my hiding place!_ She stood frozen. She recognized that voice.

"Sakura."

_No. Please no. Not now._ Lowering her head, she slowly turned around to face the one haunting her mind for months. "…Sasuke."

She couldn't look him in the eyes. She was so sure she would break under his gaze.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Sakura didn't budge. She knew what he was referring to. _Crap! I said that out loud? Baka!_

Sasuke sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere. All he wanted was to get this over with. Why was she being like this? "Sakura… you've done nothing wrong."

Her eyes suddenly widened.

"You've always been easy to read…"

Sakura fought the urge to cry. _No. No more tears. Don't let him see!_

Sasuke noticed her discomfort. Hell, this was just as awkward for him. After standing there in silence, he slowly reached for her hand. She jumped a little; was she afraid of him? He kept his head low.

"I… am the one who's done wrong. I'm the one who should feel ashamed, not you…"

They stood in silence again. He was still holding her hand, but he couldn't look at her. Little did he know, she was staring right at him. Suddenly, she jerked her hand away, holding it to her chest.

"Sasuke… how can you say that? None of this would've happened if I hadn't…" her voice was choked by tears. Sasuke lifted his gaze, observing her glistening tears. He just wanted her pain to end.

"Sakura… why? You were doing your duty."

"NO! I promised myself I would save you! I would protect both you and Naruto!"

"You don't have to take care of us."

"But I WANT to! What's wrong with protecting the ones I care about?"

"…you care about me? Still?"

"OF COURSE, YOU BAKA! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT I THOUGHT THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE YOU WAS TO KILL YOU! I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU! ... but… instead, I…"

She was cut off again as she was suddenly embraced. Sasuke was holding her so tightly. She felt something wet on her head. _He's…crying?_ "S-Sasuke?" Her tears began to flow even more. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me…"

_Even after everything I did, she can find it in herself to care about me… to love me… She's such an idiot! Yet…_ "Thank you." _Please forgive me as well._

_**Ok, so maybe that ending sounded a little like my other fiction, but that's how I imagine Sasuke's confession: mostly inward commentary following a "Thank you" or something like that…**_

_**(…man I suck at endings sometimes)**_

_**I'll probably have one more chapter… we'll see. Thank you!**_


	5. Aftermath

… _**Hi again. I know it's been a while… ehehehehe… **_

_**Sorry. I haven't had a chance to write due to a busy schedule. I tried to make it a little longer this time. I also tried to lighten up. Seriously, I was having some writer's block.**_

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><p>"Ugh, my head…" Sakura slowly sat up in her bed and stretched a little… Wait a minute, her <em>bed<em>! How'd she end up here? When did she even get home?!

Sakura brought her hands to her head as she tried to sort this out. _"Ok, what was I doing last night?… I finished my shift at the hospital… I reported to Lady Tsunade… she said I could go, so I went to my spot… then…"_ Realization struck like a bolt of lightning. Sasuke had shown up! He confronted her… and she _cried_ in front of him! _Again!_

"_Oh, this is just great…"_ she thought bitterly. She was supposed to be a changed woman, not that whiny annoying girl from their genin days!

Oh, well. It's not like she planned on seeing him anytime soon, anyway… Besides, she had more important matters to attend to… like how the hell she got back in bed!

She tried to remember, but she came up blank. What the heck happened after that? She looked around her room, trying to find any clues of some sort… she was still in the same clothes she wore the day before, so either she was that exhausted, or someone brought her here. She obviously wasn't drinking last night… _Dammit! Come on, stupid brain!_

During her little tantrum, she heard a knock on the door: her bedroom door. She froze for a second before her eyes turned deadly. _Ok, if someone thinks they can break in and take advantage of me, THEY ARE SO DEAD!_

She threw open the door, ready to kill… only to find Sasuke giving his usual look of disinterest. 3…2…1… Ok, usually she'd scream and interrogate, but she chose a more delicate approach… _**SLAM!**_

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><p>Sasuke blinked. <em>Did she just slam her door in my face?<em> He knocked again. "Sakura, I just want to talk. Just open the door."

…. …. ….

He sighed. Fine, if she was going to act like a child, he would simply have to go in after her. He slowly opened the door…

Sakura was sitting against the wall. Her legs were pulled up to her chest, and her head was buried. Sasuke didn't like it. He didn't know exactly why. All he knew was that he just wanted her to smile for once… when was the last time he even saw her give a genuine smile?

He kneeled in front of her. "Sakura… at least look at me."

She didn't bother to lift her head, but Sasuke could barely understand her mumble. "Why, so you can mock me for being so weak? I know you think I'm pathetic. What more do you want from me? Why are you even here?"

"I'll tell you if you look at me."

Slowly, she lifted her head and looked him in the eye. "…. Okay. Start talking."

_At least she's not afraid of me…_ "I stayed to make sure you were alright. You… passed out. I'm guessing from fatigue. So, I took you home and I slept on the couch."

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. She passed out? And he stayed with her? Of course, that was sweet, but…

"You do realize how creepy that is, right? I could have you arrested…"

Sasuke smirked. "Really? And what are the odds of them actually catching me?"

Sakura couldn't help it. She giggled. The great Uchiha had actually tried to make a joke… at least, that's what she thought. "Guess you've got a point there. But seriously, here I thought you were done with the whole criminal thing…"

Saskue looked at her for a moment, relieved that he finally got to see that sunny smile of hers instead of despair. It had been far too long.

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><p>"So… let me get this straight…" Ino was having difficulty grasping this. Her best friend, the closest thing she ever had to a sister, is now in some kind of not-official-yet relationship with a traitor that almost murdered her… "WHAT?! Since when?! We're supposed to HATE him, remember? And now you're suddenly into him? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"<p>

"Pig, calm dowm!" Sakura hissed. She was seriously considering looking into Ino's sudden outbursts; this has to be something psychological! She had invited Ino to have lunch with her in the village, and she brought up what had happened between her and Sasuke. Did she really have to make this much of a scene?

It's not like they're in a serious relationship or anything… actually, she wasn't too sure. That night, he had been so… strange. He actually stayed with her. Then he acted like nothing happened. Wouldn't he at least mention how annoying she is?

"Ino, we just talked. That's all. We kind of… agreed to disagree… about the Land of Iron thing. We're moving on, okay? And I want your support on this."

"So I wasted a good speech?! Damn! I was pretty proud of that one…"

"Wait, what speech?"

Ino froze on the spot… "Ehehehehe… Well… I kind of…."

"She explained why you had been avoiding me."

Both girls turn to see the Uchiha, apparently passing through.

"After Yamanaka pointed it out, I went to look for you."

Sakura turned to her friend with the brightest smile she had in ages. "Ino, you really bit his head off for me?"

"Uh… yeah… anything for you, Forehead…" _Probably better if she didn't know I was just pissed…_

"So wait, how did you know where to look, Sasuke? That area was kind of my secret place. Ino's the only one I've told about it."

Ino blinked. "That's right. I didn't tell you where she was. And there's no way you can detect a specific chakra that easily…"

Sasuke just shrugged. "The dobe told me after I bought him some ramen."

Sakura gaped. "Naruto? How did he… OH, YOU ARE DEAD, UZUMAKI!" With that, she took off.

Ino blinked. "Where's she going?"

"Not far. Dobe's probably tailing her again."

At that moment, they hear a distant "ACK! SAKURA! OW! STOP IT! AH! I SAID I WAS SORRY!" It was like music to Sasuke's ears. _I wonder how long it will take this one to "pass"._

_**Yeah, I had to throw Naruto in there again somewhere. (Sorry, Naruto!**__)_

_**I thought it'd be nice to add a little more. Originally, I was going to end with the last chapter… Hope you liked it! If not, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!**_

_**Review :) And check out the poll on my profile. I need to pick what to work on next, so feel free to give an opinion!**_


	6. Author's Update

Hey, all! Thank you to those who reviewed. I'm honestly surprised at the amount of views, though some of you would probably say it's still pretty small. But hey, it's enough to impress me! I just might be able to keep going!

I got some requests for a sequel, so I am pleased to inform you... INO YAMANAKA IS BACK IN BUISNESS! Check out the sequel: **Interventions!** This one should include more SasuSaku as well as some NaruHina. There's implied NejiTen, InoSai, and ShikaTemari (is that the name for it?)


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